This invention relates to valves and more particularly to flexible packages and more particularly to aseptic (sterile) flexible packages for dispensing flowable materials.
Several U.S. patents disclose flexible packages, i.e., packages including a flexible wall, adapted for holding a flowable, e.g., liquid or semi-liquid, product. Those packages include an inner coupling device that is located within the interior of the package adjacent an unopened portion of the package's flexible wall. An outer coupling device, typically in the form of a piercing device, is provided and arranged to be connected to the inner coupling device with a portion of the wall of the package interposed therebetween so that it can be pierced to provide access to the interior of the package. In particular, when the two coupling devices are connected together a piercing portion of the outer coupling device pierces through an interposed unopened portion of the wall of the package, whereupon the flowable material can be dispensed from the package. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,793 (Stern) discloses a flexible package wherein the perforation of the package's flexible wall is carried out simultaneously with the interconnection of the inner and outer coupling devices. Owing to the construction of that device, leakage may occur in some instances during the connection/perforating step. U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,845 (Stern) attempts to address the leakage problem of the device of the '793 Stern patent. To that end the '845 Stern patent discloses a package including an inner coupling device located within the package and an outer coupling device or perforator. Unlike the device of the '793 Stern patent the outer coupling device of the '845 Stern patent does not make the hole in the wall of the package when the two coupling devices are interconnected, but makes that hole after the interconnection of the inner and outer coupling devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,584 (Stern) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,410 (Stern) disclose other flexible packages wherein the piercing of the flexible package is effected after the inner and outer coupling devices are interconnected.
Other patents disclosing flexible packages including inner and outer coupling devices for effecting the perforation of the wall of the package to provide access to the package's interior are: U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,488 (Gurzan); U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,099 (Heucke et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,732 (Drennow).
While the aforementioned devices may be generally suitable for their intended purposes they nevertheless leave something to be desired from one or more various standpoints, simplicity of construction, ease of use, and resistance to leakage. The subject invention addresses those needs.